Misery, Mistakes and Making it Work
by Amanda Marie Johnson
Summary: Sometimes doing the right things pulls you under the current. And sometimes the last person you expected to help you, pulls you out


OKAY, NEW STORY! YAY! I PROMISE I'LL BE UPDATING SOME OTHERS LIKE IF ONLY FOR LOVE AND RELEASE, WELL READ AND REVIEW!  
  
"Oh my god" Willow said as she and Buffy made their way up to her room. They had a large bowl of popcorn and two cans of pop.  
  
"I know, he is so hot, god if I could just. . .ooh!" Buffy squealed as they sat on Willow's bed.  
  
"He is a hottie" Willow said, putting a piece of popcorn in her mouth.  
  
"Yeah. . .but no use ranting over something I can never have" Buffy said.  
  
"What do you mean?" Willow asked.  
  
"Come on Will, a girl like me, hooking up with a guy like that, please, that would happen when hell froze over" Buffy said taking the remote and turning on the movie. Willow took the remote from her and turned it back off.  
  
"Buffy, you're doing it again" Willow said.  
  
"What? What am I doing?" Buffy asked.  
  
"W-well one, y-you're being all y-you know, avoidy and stuff, and two you keep putting yourself down, you have the lowest self of steam of anyone I have ever met, even lower than me, and that's low" Willow said.  
  
"I'm fine" Buffy said.  
  
"Yes, if you define fine as the absence of conviction, then yes you are defiantly fine" Willow said.  
  
"Look, it's just that, I've had my share of bad relationships, I just don't have very good luck with this sort of thing. . .and the thing that happened. . .before that, I was. . .considered 'cool', one moment, one stupid mistake, and it was all taken from me, everything, I went from beauty princess to. . ." Buffy said.  
  
"My best friend?" Willow asked with a small smile. Buffy smiled back at her.  
  
"I'm sorry Will, I don't' mean to bring you down, bad, bad Buffy" Buffy said jokingly.  
  
"No, it's okay, I understand, I mean if I had everything, I'd certainly not want to be hanging with someone like me" Willow said.  
  
"What do you mean someone like you? Will you're a great person, you are the only one I can talk to that I know would always keep my secrets, you 'are' by best friend, and you always will be" Buffy said. Willow smiled and Buffy smiled back. "So, speaking of relationships, taking a couple steps back to darker blue waters, what about you and Oz, he seems. . ."  
  
"Not my type?"  
  
"Sure he is" Buffy said.  
  
"Oh yeah 'cause I always date musicians" Willow said sarcastically.  
  
"You could" Buffy said.  
  
"And you could date Spike" Willow said.  
  
"No, no I couldn't, and if you say anything I'll kill you" Buffy said.  
  
"I won't" Willow said. Finally she turned on the TV and they began to watch the movie.  
  
Cordelia Chase and her gang were sitting on the bleachers watching the football players practice. Lindsey with her acrylic nails and designer sunglasses, Harmony with her new nose and her designer perfume, Chantal with her lipstick and new designer jacket, and then there was Cordelia with her designer everything. From contacts to socks everything was designer and cost fortune.  
  
"Look at that guy" Cordelia pointed out number forty-three, David Hallad.  
  
"Ooh, score" Harmony said.  
  
"Mmm-hmm I'm tellin' ya girls, there is nothing like knowing you could have any guy in the world" Cordelia said.  
  
"So, who are you going to pick? Junior prom's coming up" Lindsey asked.  
  
"Um. . ." Cordelia said, scanning the football field with her eyes, and then they traveled past it to the pavement. There he was. A leather hottie. "Him." They all looked at Spike.  
  
"Wait, Spike Tremonton, Cordy I don't think that's a good idea" Chantal said.  
  
"Nobody asked you" Cordelia scoffed.  
  
"Cordy she's right, he's dangerous, he's into you know all those kinds of things dangerous people are, drugs-" Harmony began.  
  
"Sex and rock and roll, my kinda guy" Cordelia said and stood up and walked down the bleachers, her friends following.  
  
"Cordelia stop, he hangs out with the biggest druggies in our school, you don't do drugs, it's bad for the complexion" Harmony said.  
  
"I'm not gonna do drugs, there's no way I would ruin this face when I spend so much money on designer makeup, just come on" Cordelia said and walked up to Spike and his gang. He was sitting on the steps smoking with his friends. "Hi."  
  
"Uh, hey" Spike said grimly.  
  
"What do you want Malibu princess?" Tatiana said sarcastically.  
  
"Well I don't want to talk to you that's for sure, I don't communicate with the dead" Cordelia spat back. Tatiana started to get up, but Spike stopped her.  
  
"Tot, hold your knickers, what do you want?" he asked Cordelia.  
  
"I was wondering, um, prom's coming up in like a month and a half, and I was wondering if you wanted to go-" Cordelia began.  
  
"With you? And why would I want to do a thing like that?" Spike asked, smirking.  
  
"What?" Cordelia asked surprised.  
  
"Listen luv, you think you're all hot and yeah you are, but I'm not interested, truth is I like my woman. . .smart" he said, smirking bigger.  
  
"You can leave now" Kelly said. Cordelia and her friends walked away, Cordy stunned that she had actually been turned down.  
  
Buffy made her way home the next morning. She had spent the night at Willow's and they had a good talk about everything. She opened the door and her mother was sitting on the couch.  
  
"Hi honey, have fun at Willow's?" Joyce asked.  
  
"Um, yeah, fine" Buffy said.  
  
"Come here sweetie, I have to talk to you for a second" Joyce said. Buffy went over and sat next to her mom on the couch.  
  
"What it is?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Well, you know how after the divorce that I got you and your father got Dawn" Joyce said.  
  
"Uh-huh" Buffy said.  
  
"Well, um. . .he's sick" Joyce said.  
  
"What? What do you mean?" Buffy asked.  
  
"He has something wrong with his heart, that's all he told me, Dawn is going to come live here with us" Joyce said.  
  
"Oh, okay, is dad gonna be okay?" Buffy asked.  
  
"I'm not sure sweetie, you know as much as I do" Joyce said.  
  
"Well when, I mean when does she come?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Tomorrow" Joyce said.  
  
"Tomorrow! Why didn't you tell me sooner?" Buffy asked.  
  
"I'm sorry honey, I just. . .didn't know how to tell you" Joyce said. After their talk Buffy went upstairs. She had to lay down for a while. Was her father dying? Buffy and her mother had been living in Sunnydale for seven months. Seven months of not seeing her sister. She did miss her, even though she could be a real brat and annoying, but all little sisters were like that probably.  
  
Buffy's eyes opened and there was sunlight. She didn't realize that she was falling asleep, it just sort of happened. She got up and went downstairs and Joyce wasn't there. She had left a note on the fridge saying that she went to pick up Dawn. Buffy got out a bowl and poured some fruity pebbles and some milk in it and began to eat. She went into the living room and turned on the television. Cartoons, a Saturday tradition for the sixteen year old blonde. Suddenly the door opened and Joyce and Dawn came into the house laughing and giggling like best friends. Buffy put down the bowl and stood up.  
  
"Oh Buffy, you're up" Joyce said.  
  
"Yeah, hey Dawnie" Buffy said.  
  
"Hi Buffy" the ten year old smiled and hugged her. "I missed you."  
  
"I missed you too" Buffy said.  
  
"Um, Buffy, since Dawn has never seen our house, why don't you show her around" Joyce said.  
  
"O-okay, uh, let's start down here and then we'll go upstairs" Buffy said and she and Dawn went into the kitchen. "All right, this is the kitchen, obviously, uh, down there is the basement, out there is the back yard, uh. . ." they go into the dining room. "This is the dining room, and you saw the kitchen." They went upstairs. "Um, this is my room, and the door's always open, well not literally, I don't like my door to be open, but if you ever need to talk, I'm here, this is mom's room, and through here is you're room, I-I'll help you get it the way you want."  
  
"Thanks" Dawn said sadly.  
  
"What's wrong honey?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Nothing, I just miss dad, I'm glad to be here with you and mom, I am, I'm just worried about him" Dawn said. Buffy smiled and pushed the hair out of Dawn's face.  
  
"I'm sure he'll be fine Dawnie" Buffy said.  
  
"I hope so" Buffy said and Joyce came up the stairs with some blankets and pillows.  
  
"Uh, Buffy, Dawn's going to sleep in your room tonight since there isn't a bed in her room right now, is that okay?" Joyce asked.  
  
"Uh, yeah of course" Buffy said. "I'll get the roll-away." She went into the room that would be Dawn's and got the bed out of the closet. "Here, we can put it here." She put it next to her bed.  
  
"Okay, so celebration in order, the Summers women together again, lunch?" Joyce asked.  
  
"Sure" Dawn said.  
  
"Sure" Buffy said. "I'm going to get ready." After getting ready she went downstairs to where Dawn and Joyce were. "Okay, I'm here and pretty, let's motor."  
  
"Okay, ready Dawnie?" Joyce asked.  
  
"Mmm-hmm" Dawn said. They all went out to Cesar's Castle for lunch. After that they went shopping for new school clothes for Dawn. Once they were done Buffy called Willow and Xander and asked them to come over.  
  
"Hey guys" Buffy said.  
  
"Hey Buff" Xander said and they entered the house and went into the living room.  
  
"Hi Ms Summers" Willow said.  
  
"Oh, please Willow, call me Joyce, Ms makes me sound like an old widow or something" Joyce said, Willow smiled.  
  
"Um, Dawnie these are my friends, this is Willow Rosenberg and Xander Harris, guys this is my little sister Dawn" Buffy introduced them.  
  
"Hi" Willow said in the same friendly tone she always used.  
  
"Hi" Dawn said.  
  
"Nice to meet ya Dawnmeister" Xander said, Dawn smiled. "Okay our annual Saturday night tradition of fun, movies, pizza, popcorn, soda, followed by lots and lots of barfing, who's with me."  
  
"Um, Dawn we're going to watch some movies, want to join us?" Willow asked.  
  
"Uh, sure, is it okay Buffy?" Dawn asked.  
  
"Sure" Buffy said.  
  
"Okay, I'm going to leave you guys alone to your fun, the money for the pizza's on the coffee table, enjoy, I'm going to bed" Joyce said and went upstairs.  
  
"All right, let me order the pizza and then we'll start the first movie, Xander what ones did you bring?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Classic horror and trilogy movies" Xander said.  
  
"Please don't let the name 'The Godfather' come from your lips" Willow said.  
  
"Okay, I'll let the guys on the TV say it" Xander said and slipped the movie into the VCR, Buffy and Willow groaned.  
  
"Xander, every time it's your turn to bring the movies you bring the Godfather, what is up with you and this movie?" Buffy asked, picking up the phone.  
  
"It's a classic" Xander said.  
  
"Well after watching it 500,000 times it should be" Willow said.  
  
"What do you guys want on your pizza?" Buffy asked.  
  
"The usual" Willow and Xander said together.  
  
"Right, Dawnie, any preferences?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Well, what are you guys getting?" Dawn asked.  
  
"We always get pepperoni, mushrooms, Canadian bacon and pineapples" Buffy said.  
  
"That's fine" Dawn said.  
  
"Are you sure, if you don't like one or all of those things tell" Buffy said.  
  
"No, really, I do" Dawn said.  
  
"Okay" Buffy said and ordered the pizza.  
  
"So, Buffy, talk to Spike lately?" Willow asked, while they waited for the pizza to arrive.  
  
"No, and stop it, I cannot-" Buffy began.  
  
"Why not?" Willow asked.  
  
"One because of. . .the thing that happened, and two, he is so not interested" Buffy said.  
  
"How do you know?" Willow asked.  
  
"Because it's Spike Tremonton okay, he's. . .it just won't work, and I'm ending the convo now" Buffy said.  
  
"Who's Spike?" Dawn asked.  
  
"Just this really hot guy that Buffy has a crush on, but she won't tell him and I know that she would have a chance with him" Willow said in one breath.  
  
"Why are you afraid to talk to him?" Dawn asked.  
  
"I'm not afraid, I just. . .okay we're done analyzing Buffy, why don't we talk about Willow and Oz, or Xander and. . .hey Xand you do you have a crush on?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Nobody" Xander said.  
  
"Oh come on, we know you better than that, who?" Willow said.  
  
"Okay fine, there is a certain girl" Xander said.  
  
"Who, Harmony?" Buffy asked and her and Willow started giggling.  
  
"No, it's not Harmony, it's. . .Cordelia" Xander said.  
  
"Oh my god!" Willow said.  
  
"Are you serious?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Yes, and I knew I shouldn't of told you crazy chicks" Xander said.  
  
"Oh, we're sorry" Willow said sympathetically.  
  
"Yeah, we're just kidding" Buffy said and the doorbell rang. "Oh that must be the pizza." Buffy got the money and went to the door and opened it and standing there was Spike. "Uh. . .h-hey."  
  
"Hey, hey you're Buffy right, Buffy Summers?" he asked.  
  
"Uh, yeah" Buffy said.  
  
"Hi, I'm Sp-" he began.  
  
"I-I know who you are, what's up?" she asked.  
  
"My car broke down, can I use your phone?" he asked.  
  
"Um, sure, come in" Buffy said and let him in.  
  
"Thanks, I'll just be a second" he said.  
  
"Um, take your time, the phone's in there" Buffy said and Spike went into the kitchen.  
  
"Oh my god" Willow mouthed to Buffy.  
  
"I know" Buffy whispered and went over to where her friends were sitting.  
  
"Who is that guy?" Dawn asked.  
  
"That is Buffy's fantasy lover" Willow said and Buffy hit Willow playfully on the arm.  
  
"Will, shhh!" Buffy whispered loudly.  
  
"That's Spike?" Dawn asked.  
  
"Yes" Buffy said and Spike came out into the living room.  
  
"Thanks luv, I appreciate it" he said.  
  
"Uh, no problem" Buffy said. "Do you want to sit and wait, we ordered pizza?"  
  
"Uh, no thanks, my ride will be here any second, so I'll just wait outside" Spike said and left. Once he was out of the house Willow and Buffy shrieked, which made Xander cringe.  
  
"Geez, do you girls have to do that every time you see a guy?" he asked.  
  
"This is not just any guy Xander, that was Spike" Willow said.  
  
"Oh, I'm sorry, how stupid of me" Xander said sarcastically.  
  
"He seemed to like you" Dawn said.  
  
"I don't know, not after what happened, no guy does" Buffy said.  
  
"Buffy, that was forever ago, I'm sure that Spike doesn't care anyway, and you had every right to do what you did" Willow said.  
  
"I don't know, I used to think that doing the right thing would get me ahead, but it just made me sink to the ultimate low" Buffy said.  
  
"Yeah, 'cause being friends with us really sucks" Xander said.  
  
"No, you guys, that's not was I meant, I love you guys, you know that, it's just that. . .I miss being popular" Buffy said.  
"Buffy give Spike a chance, maybe there could be something between you two" Willow said and Buffy looked towards the door and a slight smile came over her thinking of what she and Spike could have. 


End file.
